The Princess' sickness
by Tia-Chan18
Summary: "She's your responsibility, Ichigo." Ichigo gets asked to take care of Orihime for the weekend while Tatsuki goes away. What will happen during this visit?
1. Friday

_**So, I am back! Seriously, I've been going through a LOT and I hope things will get better. But that may take awhile. The MAIN reason why I haven't been writing is because my dad had an accident at work which shocked his spinal cord. Then after that, I got grounded off the computer for a month. So that is why I haven't been able to post any stories/drabbles. But I am back with a new IchiHime story. It is a short one but it's multichaptered. I hope you enjoy this :)**_

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><p>"You sure you're going to be alright?"<p>

The young healer nodded. "Un! I'll be just fine Tatsuki-chan! It's just the stomach flu! The doctor said I'd be sick for a couple days. I'll be back to school on Monday!"

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><p>Tatsuki was still unsure. Orihime had been gone all week from school. If she had the stomach flu, she would've been better by now. The only reason she was here was because she wasn't going to be able to take care of her this weekend. She had to go to her mom's friend's wedding and she couldn't back out of it. If she was able to, she already would have.<p>

Not only was Orihime unable to take care of herself, but she also had her homework to finish. And because she never had the notes, Tatsuki had been going to her house every night to visit and study with her. She didn't feel right leaving her best friend behind when she was sick. But what choice did she have?

She sighed. As she walked to school, she thought about her options. Sure, she could tell her mom that she couldn't leave and had bigger priorities here. But she didn't want to disappoint her mom. She had been so excited to go to this wedding. Hell, she had been part of the wedding, helping with designs and the flower arrangements. She didn't want to make her mom unhappy by cancelling at the last minute.

She had thought about asking Uryu or Chad to take care of her. But both of them were super busy this weekend with volunteering and hunting down hollows. There was also much preparing to do for exams that were coming up in the next month. She didn't want to bother them so much with taking care of Orihime. They were also looking for jobs and training with each other to keep up with their skills.

And then there was Ichigo.

She had honestly thought about him. But there were two big reasons why she didn't. One, he had just got his powers back so he was super busy with hollows. The second reason. **Rukia **was back. She didn't know how he felt about her. One thing she did know was that Orihime didn't need her crush to pity her and help her because he felt bad.

Orihime needed her **friend**.

And as much as Tatsuki hated to admit it, Ichigo wasn't being a very nice friend to her. Ever since Rukia and the other shinigami came back, he's been ignoring her. Well, not so much ignoring her as not really paying attention. Every time she saw him, Rukia was beside him, talking about shinigami business.

Sighing, Tatsuki knew that as much as she hated to admit it, Ichigo was her friend. And he did care about Orihime. Even if he didn't show it often. When it really mattered, he showed that he truly cared about her. Which was why it was so easy to find him that morning before class started, talking with Rukia again.

"Ichigo."

He looked up at her and nodded. "Tatsuki."

Using her serious expression, Tatsuki spoke. "Look. It's about Orihime. And I know that there are much better people out there that I could've asked for this favour but you're the only one that I can actually depend on. That and everyone else is busy."

His expression turned serious. "Is she okay? Why hasn't she been at school?"

"She's been sick. Apparently, the doctor said that it's just the stomach flu. But if that was the case, she should've been back by now. She's been having high fevers and I've been taking care of her for the whole week. Unfortunately I can't take care of her this weekend. I have to attend a wedding that's in Tokyo and I can't miss it. I really need you to take care of her."

"He'll do it."

Both of them looked at Rukia. Her face was serious. What they didn't know was that Rukia had gone to visit Orihime during the night when she'd have nightmares. She had a feeling that they could be part of the reason as to why she's sick.

"What the hell Rukia? You can't just make decisions for me you midget!"

"I can take care of the hollow duties this weekend. Right now, Orihime needs you. Ichigo, she needs her **friend**."

He sighed as his hand ruffled through his hair. He knew that Rukia was right. Ever since he got his powers back, he hasn't seen much of the young healer. They didn't have many classes together so the only time he saw her was in the hallways or in homeroom. He wanted to catch up with her but he had been so busy with school and hollow slayings that he had just kind of forgotten to ask about her. He felt really guilty because he pretty much slipped back into his old routine.

Except she wasn't in it.

At all.

Which not only made him feel stupid, but it made him feel like a total jackass. He wanted her back in his life. And this is the opportunity to do it.

He looked at Tatsuki. "Okay. I'll do it. But what do I need to do?"

Tatsuki looked at him. "You just need to go to each of her classrooms and ask her teachers for any homework and notes. They're already well aware that she's been sick so I'm pretty sure each teacher will have something for her. She is the third smartest kid in the school and they wouldn't want to be responsible for her grades dropping."

He nodded.

"Oh. And one more thing."

He continued to look at her.

"Whatever you do, don't let her out of your sight. If she is damaged in any way, I'll kick your ass."

He gulped.

"She's your responsibility, Ichigo."

Her gaze was unwavering.

"Take **VERY** good care of her."

And then, the bell rang.

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><p><strong>AN:** _**I don't know when I'll be able to update. But I'll try to make them not as long. I should be updating my other stories soon. Please bear with me :)**_

_**Thanks for reading and please leave a review!**_

_**~Tia-chan~**_


	2. Friday night

So, I've been in a writing mood. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing *laughs* One thing I wish for is that I can keep it up =) Makes people more happy that I'm updating and such. Seriously, I thank you guys for the reviews and hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter! I think I'll update the story every 2 weeks or so. It's not a long story. So there won't be a LOT that happens I guess.

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><p>After the bell had rang, signaling to the students that the day was over, Ichigo made his way home. During lunch, he had gotten all of Orihime's homework and notes for any of the classes that she'd missed that day. He'd have to thank Tatsuki later for letting him know her schedule. Otherwise it would've been a LOT harder getting everything.<p>

He was preparing himself for being attacked by his father. However, when he got home, the door was locked and there was a note on the door. Looking confused, Ichigo took the piece of paper off and read it.

"_Dear son, I had to attend a last minute conference in Tokyo. I took the girls with me and we'll be gone for the weekend. _

_- Love Isshin_

_Ps. Don't do anything naughty while your papa is away!"_

Ichigo's vein popped. Crumpling the piece of paper, he grumbled about how idiotic his father was. Once he threw it away, he went into his pockets and grabbed the keys for the door. Unlocking it, he entered the house and set his bag down.

He knew Yuzu had cleaned it before they had left. Not wanting to leave a mess, Ichigo quickly headed to his room and gathered some of the things he was going to need. He wasn't sure if sleeping over there was a good idea. But Tatsuki had somehow convinced him that Orihime wouldn't completely chew his face off.

"_If you think Orihime would do something like that, you're an idiot. You should know just as much as I do that she would never yell at any of us. I don't see why you think you're any different, Ichigo."_

He sighed. He knew that she was right. After all, the only people she ever yelled at was Grimmjow, Aizen and a few others. But they were her enemies.

Shaking his head, he grabbed whatever he could see and tossed it in the bag he had grabbed. He made sure to pack important things. Luckily, he had all his notes and all his textbooks with him. They may not be in the same class, but they did have the same teachers. So whatever she was learning, he was most likely learning as well.

Once he checked that he had everything, Ichigo closed his bedroom door.

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><p>Getting to her house wasn't the hard part. It was thinking about what he was going to say to her. Surely Tatsuki hadn't told Orihime that he was going to be spending the weekend with her. Which made it more difficult for him.<p>

He had a feeling that she wouldn't be comfortable being alone with a boy. But then again, it beats being alone.

His palms were sweaty. Swallowing whatever saliva he could produce, Ichigo lifted his hand and knocked on her door.

At first he was getting anxious. _What if she's not home? Or maybe she's in the bath. Oh god! Then I'd be interrupting and it would be awkward! Ahhh! I knew this wasn't going to be a good ide-"_

Ichigo was lost in his thoughts when the door opened and the auburn healer popped her head out the window. Her expression was of shock at first. But when they locked eyes, she shook her head and smiled.

"Good evening Kurosaki-kun! I'm sorry I'm not really nice looking at the moment." She laughed awkwardly. "Come in." She stepped aside and let him walk in through the door.

Closing the door behind her, she turned to ask what he was doing here when she noticed the two bags.

"Why do you have your bags here Kurosaki-kun?"

Turning to look at her, he dropped his bags down and ran his hand through his hair. "Well, Tatsuki came up to me today. She told me how you weren't feeling good and that she wasn't going to be here this weekend."

Orihime blinked. "Tatsuki-chan did? I told her I was going to be fine. I don't know why she fusses about these things. It's only the stomach flu. It's nothing serious."

"Yeah, well, she did. She even took the liberty of asking me to stay with you for the whole weekend. Luckily the old man is gone for the weekend-"

He stopped when he noticed her eyes widen. "She did what? Why would she do that?"

"She's just concerned for you. I've noticed that she's been like this since I brought you back from Hueco Mundo. Honestly, I don't blame her. But I think she could dial it down a notch. Of couse I'd never tell her that. She'd just kick my ass."

She giggled. "Yep. Tatsuki-chan is very strong! Although not as strong as you, Kurosaki-kun!"

He half smiled. "Glad you think that Inoue. But are you okay? Y'know, with me, staying here with you for the weekend?"

Orihime was silent. She was thinking about the situation and how she should handle it. _It'll just be me and him. We'll be all by ourselves. Not that I have to worry. Kurosaki-kun will protect me. But why now? Ah. I won't worry about it so much. I should just enjoy this weekend as much as possible!_

She nodded. "Un! I'm fine with you staying here. But, what about your family?"

"My dad had a last minute conference to go to. He took Yuzu and Karin with him. So I was going to be alone in my house this weekend."

"Well, now we'll both be alone for the weekend."

"Yeah. Oh! And here's your homework. I even got the notes for you. Tatsuki reminded me to do that before I left school. We don't want you falling behind like last time."

She took the work from his hands and placed it on the table. "Thank you very much. Kurosaki-kun is very kind."

He blushed. "I would do anything I can to help you, Inoue. Don't be afraid to ask me for it when you need it."

This caused her to blush as well. The air was tense as they contemplated what to say. Finally Orihime had broke the silence.

"So, wanna watch a movie?"


	3. Saturday

_**I deeply apologize for not updating this story! I said I was going to keep it going, but then I stopped D: . I feel really bad. Therefore, I shall do my best to finish this story. (This is what happens when you end up starting several other stories and school/RL gets in the way... .) I apologize if this chapter is shorter than the others as well. I'm not sure how long it's going to be. But I don't want to abandon this story, and I hope my reviewers haven't either! I will get it together! I promise!**_

_**Thank you all for being so patient with me! Also check out my new IchiHime story, "Memories in the Rain." It seems like I update that one faster than this one XDD. Kinda sad isn't it?**_

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><p>It was the next morning. It was raining when the two teens had woken up. While it had put Ichigo in a foul mood, it had made Orihime more cheery. She hummed as she sat at the table, copying out the notes Ichigo had brought her the previous night. A blanket was wrapped around her huddled form as she tried to keep warm.<p>

It was still spring so she didn't want to put her heater on. She was barely getting by on the last paycheck she had received from the bakery where she worked. But she was also on sick leave since she had come down with the flu. She didn't want to bother any of her friends with this dilemma so she didn't mention it to any of them.

Well, until Tatsuki came by last week and saw how sick she was.

.

.

.

_"Orihime! What's wrong with you? Why are you still in your pajamas?" Tatsuki asked as she practically ran to her best friend. Seeing how red Orihime was, she placed her hand on the healer's forehead. She gasped as she pulled her hand back, shocked at how hot her friend was._

_"Don't worry Tatsuki-chan! I'm fine!" She said as she waved her hands in front of her face._

_"'Fine' my butt. Orihime, you're burning up! Why didn't you tell me that you were sick? If I had known that, I would've talked to the teachers sooner and gotten your notes and homework!"_

_The healer looked down at her hands that were placed on her lap. Tears were beginning to form in her eyes. She knew that Tatsuki would do anything for her if she needed it. But she didn't want to burden her friends with her problems. They were hers and she wanted to deal with them on her own._

_"I'm sorry Tatsuki-chan." _

_Tatsuki's eyes softened as she hugged her friend. She didn't want to upset the young girl. She was just concerned for her. She always held on to what she felt inside. And she didn't want Orihime feeling like she was useless. Tatsuki wanted to make Orihime see that she could depend on her when she needed help. _

_"Don't apologize, Orihime. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just worried. You live by yourself and you do everything on your own. I just wish you would open up to me more. You don't have to worry about being a burden. Relying on people is part of the friendship package. If they're your true friends, they won't care when you need to vent or rant. They'll still care about you and love you after everything they go through. Orihime, you know I treat you like a sister. Please don't worry about being a burden to me. I actually like when you come to me about your problems. It means that you trust me enough to confide in me."_

_She gasped. "Tatsuki-chan! You know I will always trust you! I will never stop being your friend! You've been by my side since middle school! I would never abandon our friendship."_

_Tatsuki smiled as she ruffled the healer's hair. "Come on. Let's start by helping you get better."_

_.  
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One thing Orihime didn't expect was for Ichigo to be in her apartment. When Tatsuki told her that she would be getting a replacement for the weekend, she didn't think she would ask Ichigo.

She was thinking of either Chad or Uryu. Then again, she knew they were both extremely busy with hollow slayings, their own jobs and school. She didn't want anyone to watch over her. But she had complied to it just to ease Tatsuki's mind.

_"I don't get what's so different about this weekend. I've been alone when I was sick before. I don't get why Tatsuki was overreacting." _She mused as she finished copying the notes Ichigo gave her. She didn't miss as much as she thought.

"I thought I should mention this to you. We mainly worked on the assignments in class. Apparently we had lots of subs this week due to the teachers going to a conference in a different country. They've been gone the entire week as well. Whatever notes are there are from the few teachers that didn't go. Which is why you have more worksheets than notes." Ichigo replied.

Orihime shot her glace to the stack of papers that were sitting beside the notebook. She counted at least twenty different pages.

As if he read her mind, Ichigo added. "Some of the assignments are review packages. During the next few days, we're going to be having tests. Ishida and Chad thought it would be a good idea to ask the teachers to make review booklets for you instead of throwing you a bunch of pages. They actually agreed to it so easily too. And since they know you've been sick, they're giving you an extra week to study for these tests. So on the days that the tests are going to be written, the teachers are going to let you study in a different room. Just to make it less stressful for you."

She nodded. "So I don't have to start on these assignments right away?"

Ichigo shook his head. "Not unless you want to. I would say to save some of the assignments for class time so you don't get bored. If I were you, I'd focus on getting better. Tatsuki will kill me if she comes back and you're still not well."

Orihime giggled. "Tatsuki-chan gave you lots of rules, ne?"

He shrugged. "Not really rules. More like, expectations. It wasn't really an optional thing. She just wants what's best for you. You've never been this sick."

"Un! I rarely get sick. It's thanks to my strong immune system. But that means that when I do get sick, it hits me hard. So I end up staying sick for about a week."

He blinked. "Why do you get sick for so long? I thought the stomach flu only lasts a few days?"

"Kurosaki-kun. A stomach flu can last for quite a while. It varies on each person. And how strong the flu is. The throwing up portion only lasts a few days. But just because someone stops puking doesn't mean the flu is completely gone. They can still have cramps or end up developing a cold because of how weak the body is from fighting off the flu. In this case, I'm just fighting the cold part now. Though it doesn't really sound like it. It gets bad at night though. It's harder to breathe which is why I keep the windows open. When they're closed, the room gets stuffy and it doesn't help my nose at all."

He frowned. "If you're going to keep the windows open, can you at least not open them all the way? I don't like how easy it is for someone to break into your place Inoue. It's too dangerous. Maybe that's why Tatsuki told me to stay over."

She pouted. "Tatsuki-chan treats me like a child."

He chuckled. "It's because you **act **like a child, Inoue. You're way too trusting of others you don't even know. You're so selfless that you would rather protect someone who comes after you than beat them up. Of course she's going to be over-protective of you."

"Kurosaki-kun may not know this, but I have a black belt in karate. I know how to defend myself from humans."

He sighed as he looked down at her determined face. He rarely saw her stand her ground against her friends, so when he saw it, it always looked cute to him. _"Cute? Since when did I refer to Inoue as cute?"_

Shaking his head, he kept his gaze locked with hers. "Inoue, right now, your body is fighting off the virus that's inside of you. You don't have the strength to defend yourself against anyone. Let me protect you."

Her eyes widened at his words. The last time he said them was after the battle with Yammi. She was badly hurt and he had come running to her to apologize for letting her get hurt.

_"But Rukia was the one who forced him to say it..."_

Sighing, she nodded before starting to put her things away. She was about to go to her room when she stopped and looked at Ichigo.

"Can we go somewhere today?"

His eyebrow raised at the question. She was sick and she wanted to go outside.. While it was raining?

Seeing his hesitance, she gave him her puppy dog pout.

"Please, Kurosaki-kun? I don't feel like sitting inside all day. I've been indoors all week! Tatsuki-chan wouldn't let me go anywhere."

Besides realizing how adorable she looked when she gave him _that _look, he could hear the sadness in her voice. Tatsuki had told him not to let her go outside because of how sick she was. But she looked at him with those eyes and he couldn't find it in him to say no.

Turning away, a blush rose to his cheeks before he mumbled. "Get ready."

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><p><strong>AN: Yup. That's where I'll leave it. I deeply apologize for not updating. So I figured I'd do some explaining.**

**When I had the stomach flu, the only symptoms I had was stomach cramps. But I also had it for over a month. In Orihime's case, she was throwing up for a few days, and because of this, ended up catching a cold due to her immune system not recovering from vomiting.**

**Tatsuki had come to visit her because they normally hang out each weekend and it was a weekly ritual after Hueco Mundo. She decided to stay with Orihime until she was better, but had to leave for a wedding.**

**During the week, Tatsuki had gone looking around for someone to take care of her over the weekend. She asked Uryu first but he was busy and Chad was there at the time and was also busy. (I was thinking of writing this part as a flashback for the next chapter.)**

**Also, Chad and Uryu are in some of Orihime's classes. Hence they were able to talk to those teachers and ask them to put the sheets into a review package for Orihime.**

**Hope these cleared up some of the confusion (if anyone was confused.)**

**Please R&R**


	4. Saturday Afternoon

_I'm eager to finish this story. Which is weird cause I'm generally not that eager to do anything these days XD. But I suppose it's cause I have majority of the story written in my head. I'm still not sure how many more chapters there are after this. So please bear with me . _

_**Farrah: **__Ha ha. I think you've read my mind. As for your review, this chapter will explain things more. I was wondering if anyone was going to notice the way Ichigo was treating Orihime. But you'll understand after this chapter :)_

_Thanks to everyone who reviewed this story! They are really appreciated :)_

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><p><em>It was Wednesday morning when Tatsuki got the call from her mom. Their family friend was getting married and had sent them an invitation. The invite was received two weeks prior but Tatsuki's mom had just called in their RSVP the night before. Thus left Tatsuki in a panic.<em>

_She didn't want to leave Orihime behind when she was this sick. Even though it seemed like Orihime was getting better, it didn't stop Tatsuki from worrying about her. She didn't want to disappoint her mother or their friend either. So it left her in a bind._

_"Oi, Ishida!"_

_Said man turned from his conversation with the giant to see Tatsuki coming down the hall. _

_Fixing his glasses, he straightened his back and watched Tatsuki with a stern look. Whatever she had to talk to him about was important if she was asking him to assist. _

_"Listen, my mom is making me go to this wedding this weekend for a friend of ours. It's in Tokyo and I'm not going to be here until Monday. Do you think it's possible that you can watch Orihime while I'm gone?"_

_Shaking his head, he spoke before Tatsuki could ask why. "I'm also very busy. My father is making me go to some medical conference with him. I don't know why seeing as he's never paid much attention to me before the war. But I can't back out. I'm sorry Arisawa-san. If I didn't have to go, I would've offered to watch over Inoue-san."_

_Sighing, she turned her gaze to Chad. "Can you do it Sado?"_

_"Sorry Tatsuki. I can't either. I'm working all weekend. Urahara-san has some extra jobs for me and I already said yes. Why don't you try asking Ichigo? I don't see why he wouldn't want to help watch over Inoue. He is very protective of her afterall."_

_Tapping her foot in annoyance, she turned her gaze to the window. "I'm not sure if he would be the best option for her. You've seen how he treats her nowadays. It's like they don't know each other. I know Orihime won't admit to it, but it hurts her badly to be ignored by him."_

_"Kurosaki is dense. Since Kuchiki-san came back, he's been paying attention to his duties once again and shrugging off everyone. Perhaps he feels that he's not good enough to be Inoue-san's friend. But whatever his reasoning, it's very pathetic that he hides from her. She deserves an explanation and he's not giving her one. I don't understand what Inoue-san sees in him."_

"_You know Inoue. She's not going to give up on Ichigo. She's just as stubborn as he is. Maybe even more. But she's also got a kind heart. And she knows that Ichigo's very busy. She's not going to pester him when she knows he has lots to deal with."_

_"And that's the problem Sado!" Tatsuki yelled. "Orihime is too kind. If I was her, I wouldn't stand for Ichigo's bullshit! I would've kicked him to the curb and told him to go find someone else to be his friend. Why should she be so nice to him when he's being ignorant and not caring about how she is? Has he even asked any of us how she is? NO! Why? Because he's too busy being a self-centered jackass that he's not noticing how much she's hurting! I think that's what has her so upset. She needs him, and yet he's not there."_

_Silence engulfed the three. Ishida coughed before pushing up his glasses. "Then this may be the perfect opportunity to prove himself. Think about it. If Kurosaki cares for her, he'll watch over her for the weekend. The only thing is I'm not sure if he'll just jump to it. Yes, he is very protective of Inoue-san, but at the same time, Kuchiki-san is around. Perhaps his duty as a shinigami is what's blinding him from Inoue-san's pain."_

_"So in other words, we have to get someone else to take over his job for the weekend." Sado replied._

_"Exactly Sado-kun. And I think if you explained the situation to Kuchiki-san, then she'll agree to doing his duties for the weekend."_

_The bell rang, causing the three of them to end their conversation. Tatsuki had begun to walk when Ishida added, "Just make sure Kurosaki isn't around when you talk to her. We don't want him to know what's going on."_

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><p>Hands in his pockets, Ichigo trudged down the street with a happy and cheerful Orihime by his side. He still didn't understand why she wanted to go outside when it was raining, but he had given in to her request. The only exception he had was that she had a rain jacket and an umbrella to stop her from getting more sick.<p>

He knew that letting her go outside was the worst thing he could do. But he felt that he owed her for being incredibly rude and selfish.

The truth was, he missed her. Ichigo missed everything about her. Her long auburn hair as it flew with a gentle breeze. Her huge smile that could warm up even the most evil men. Her big doe eyes that sparkled when she saw something she loved. But more importantly, her heart. The one thing that could store so much love and kindness for every living thing. Her heart is what made Orihime.. _**Herself**_.

He wasn't a total idiot. He knew there was a rift between them. And he wasn't stupid to know that simply apologizing would fix everything. The only reason the rift is there was because he had caused it. He felt that being around her wasn't a good thing. She wasn't safe near him. He was shocked when he had stabbed Ishida in the stomach. What shocked him more was hearing from Ishida himself that his hollow never touched Orihime. In fact, it seemed to be protecting her, from everyone. Including Ishida. That's why he never blamed Ichigo for stabbing him. His hollow did what he had to in order to keep her safe. It was obvious to Ishida that he was seen as a threat, and that's why he stepped in.

"_Your hollow had seen me as a threat. That's the only reason he attacked me. He thought that because I was trying to stop you from killing Ulquiorra that I had become the enemy. I had put myself in that danger Kurosaki. You are not to blame. Your instincts were only doing the one thing they were supposed to. And that was to protect Inoue-san. Even though you lost control, he helped save your life and hers. Don't be blaming yourself. I'm pretty sure Inoue-san isn't blaming you either. And she would be very upset to know that you're carrying around that guilt."_

Looking at her face, he hadn't seen her this happy in a long time. Since before Hueco Mundo.

He was glad she wasn't crying or upset. He had seen enough of that look in Hueco Mundo that it constantly tortured him each time he closed his eyes. Her horror-struck face, tears falling gracely down her pale cheeks, eyes wide at the look of his mask, pure terror shown. He didn't want to see her show that look ever again.

A light touch snapped him from his thoughts and he looked down to see her small hand hold onto his. He looked from their hands to her face and saw light pink dust her cheeks. She kept her eyes ahead but a smile still graced her lips.

A small smile graced his lips as his grip tightened on her hand. He'd never say it out loud, but he loved the feel of her hand in his.

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><p>After they went for a walk, they had come back to her apartment. She tore her hand from his, not noticing the slight frown on Ichigo's face at the loss of contact. She placed her closed umbrella on the coatrack and hung up their jackets before sliding her shoes off.<p>

"Ah~ That was such a nice walk! Thanks for taking me out Kurosaki-kun!"

Her smile blinded him and he turned his head before mumbling. "You're welcome."

Noticing how his voice sounded, her expression dropped. "Did you not like it?"

Hearing how sad her voice sounded, he turned his head and waved his hands in front of his face. "N-N-No! That's not what I meant! It's just that.." He turned his gaze to the window. "I thought you wanted to go somewhere else. I didn't know you wanted to go for a walk. If that's all you wanted to do, I wouldn't have made a big deal about it in the first place."

Her mouth opened in a small "O" before closing and she giggled. "Well.. I did think about wanting to go to the park. But I knew that you wouldn't let me do that. Plus Tatsuki-chan always scolds me for going out to play in the rain. Even though I don't see what the big deal is."

Placing his hands in his pockets, he turned his gaze to Orihime. "She's just worried about you... I'm worried about you..."

A blush stained her cheeks before she looked out the window. Her hands fisted her pants as she contemplated asking what was on her mind. She licked her lips before opening her mouth. "Kurosaki-kun... Why did you agree to watch over me?"

"_Because I miss you." _

He opened his mouth but she had beat him to it. "Is it because you felt sorry for me? Did Tatsuki-chan threaten you if you didn't watch over me? Were you her last option?"

He hated how she didn't turn to look his way. He wanted to see her eyes. Her smokey grey eyes that sparkled with warmth each time she saw him. Like he was the only one who could make her happy.

"Tatsuki did have some sort of an influence on my decision. She did tell me how you were sick and she didn't want you alone. But, that's not why I agreed to watch over you."

Her gaze turned to his face and her eyes had encouraged him to continue. "I know it seems like she's the reason why I decided to watch you. But the truth is... I used that as an excuse."

Her eyes widened as he took long strides until he reached out and grabbed her hands. Her eyes looked up into his dark brown ones and she melted at the intensity of the look.

"I missed you... Orihime. Ever since I brought you back from Hueco Mundo, I've been putting some distance between us because I felt that it was the right thing to do. I didn't want to force you into talking about it. And I wasn't the right one to talk to. I didn't expect Rukia to be back so soon. And when she did come back, I got so caught up in being a shinigami again that I ignored everyone. But more importantly, I hurt you."

Silence filled the room and Ichigo tried to figure out what to say next. Blowing out a breath, he looked into her eyes and continued. "When Tatsuki told me that she needed someone to take care of you, I felt.. happy. Not because you were sick.. But because I could use this weekend to repair our friendship. I felt a pain in my chest when I couldn't remember the last time we talked. I wanted to hurt myself for being such a jackass because you didn't deserve it. I told myself that the reason I agreed so fast was because Tatuski threatened me. But it was a lie."

Gripping her hands tighter, he pulled her into his chest with such force it knocked the breath out of her. Tears had welled up before spilling over and her body shook at the immense grief she kept in the entire time.

"T-Thank goodness!" She gasped. "I thought you hated me.."

He blinked before looking down at her. "What made you think that?"

She sniffed, trying to calm herself down. "Because it was my fault that your hollow attacked Ishida-kun. It was your mission to protect me and because I screamed your name, **he **appeared. I was selfish. I told myself that I went to Hueco Mundo because I wanted to protect you guys and yet I still called on you to protect me, even when you were dead. I thought that you distanced yourself from me because I was a burden and..."

"You idiot. I would never think you were a burden. Orihime, I promised to protect you. I put my life on the line for you because you're worth it. I want you to depend on me. Don't ever think that I will abandon you because you're a burden. You are more tough than I am. I want you to remember that."

She nodded before hugging him tighter. In response, he pulled her closer and sat on the couch.

"Thank you... Ichigo."


	5. Saturday Night

Here's the 5th chapter to the story. I'm very sorry it's taken so long to update. I'm slowly working on finishing my stories. I promise I will do my very best to complete them! Thanks to all the reviews and favourites for this story. If you have any suggestions for what you'd like to see happen, leave it in a review C:

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><p><em>"Oi, Rukia."<em>

_Said girl looked up from her book to see Tatsuki looking down at her. Her expression changed from being happy to serious in a matter of seconds, wondering what she would want._

_"Good afternoon Arisawa-san." Closing her book, she sat up straight while addressing the girl, "What brings you by the library on this fine afternoon?"_

_Tatsuki's expression remained neutral while addressing her. While she knew Rukia came from a noble family, she wasn't going to change the way she spoke with people. Especially shinigami._

_"Listen, it's about Orihime."_

_She noticed a change in Rukia's eyes at the mention of their bubbly friend. Tatsuki knew they had gotten close after the war and though she was happy about it, she was also wary. Especially when it came to Rukia and Ichigo._

_"Is she okay? I haven't seen her in a few months."_

_Sighing, Tatsuki began explaining the situation. "She's been away from school due to being sick. Apparently the doctor says it's a stomach virus but if that was the case, she would've been back by now. I know some things happened in Hueco Mundo but she's too scared to tell me the whole story. I'm not going to pressure her into telling me everything. I know she will come to me when she feels ready to. However, I have a problem."_

_Rukia blinked. "What is it?"_

_"My mom's best friend is getting married this weekend in Tokyo. She's forcing me to go because her friend already knows I'm going. For this entire week, I've been bringing all of Orihime's notes and homework to her. However, I won't be able to take care of her this weekend. Chad and Ishida already said they couldn't due to work and being very busy. I only have one option left..."_

_Rukia realized who that person was.. "Ichigo..."_

_Tatsuki nodded. "I know that they haven't been seeing each other much or even talking for that matter. That's why I'm so hesitant to ask him. I'm not sure if he's been busy with hollows to notice her, but what ever it is, it's hurting her. Whether she wants to admit it is another story. Thus this is the reason I've come to you for help."_

_Rukia nodded. "So you want me to take care of the hollow duties this weekend so Ichigo can watch over Orihime?"_

_She nodded. "If it's too much to ask, I understand. But I'm also hoping that Ichigo can fix the rift that's happened between him and Orihime. Either he hasn't noticed it yet, or he's hiding his feelings very well. But I know it hurts her a lot not being able to see him."_

_Rukia looked at the book in her hands. She knew that it wouldn't be an issue for her to take over the hollow duties. She, too, wanted Ichigo to fix his relationship with Orihime. Perhaps he distanced himself because he blamed himself. But what he didn't realize was it was hurting Orihime just as badly as him. _

_Hardening her resolve, she looked towards Tatsuki. "Alright. I'll do it."_

_._

_._

_._

It had turned dark so quickly, it made Ichigo wonder where his day went. One look at the Princess sleeping on the couch reminded him so very clearly where it went.

After she had cried and hugged Ichigo, Orihime had fallen asleep. He wasn't a total idiot. He noticed that she had bags under her eyes, as though she didn't get a lot of sleep. He wasn't sure if it was due to her being sick or if it was something else.

It's not like Rukia or Tatsuki had told him much. All they had said was she was sick. He was able to believe it, seeing her bundled up in the blankets. It had made her look so...

_Small._

Not that she was ever a big person. Oh no. If anything, it was her personality and her chest that were **very** big. But everything else was so small. Thoughts of holding her hand in Hueco Mundo invaded his mind, reminding him of just how fragile and soft she really was. He knew she could defend herself. And he was okay with that.

But just the thought of her fighting against a very strong enemy... It made his heart race very painfully. He never wanted her to be hurt by anything. Or anyone.

That's why he had distanced himself. He thought that he was doing her a favour by keeping himself as far away from her as possible. But it appears he had only did more damage. He cursed as he looked at the clock.

_2:30am_

She looked so peaceful, he felt as though he could watch her all night. Though Rukia's words had rang in his mind.

_"Around 2:30am, Orihime has nightmares. Once I went to visit her at night time after slaying a hollow, I had sensed her reiatsu spike rapidly. When I got to her apartment, tears were in her eyes and she was thrashing about. I know you'll want to try and help her Ichigo. But you can't fight the nightmares for her. You can only be there for her when she wakes up."_

Just then, he heard the sounds of whimpering. Turning his head, he saw her face had winced, as though she was in pain. Sweat had formed and began to drip down her face. Reaching over, Ichigo lightly placed his hand on her forehead, caught off guard at how hot she was.

Without wanting to leave her for too long, he quickly ran to her bathroom, grabbing a wet facecloth and came back to place it on her forehead. He made sure none of her hair was caught underneath for he didn't want it to get wet from the cloth. He didn't want to use force on her either so he kept his hand on the facecloth while trying to peel the blankets from her.

She began to thrash about, her whimpers turning into screams. Though they weren't as loud as he thought. Not wanting her to wake anyone up, he began to lightly shake her.

"Orihime.. It's me, Ichigo."

"I-I-I-Ichigo..." she whimpered as her hands gripped his rather hard. Not caring how hard she squeezed, he continued to whisper in her ear.

"Shhhh... Orihime.. You're having a bad dream. You got to wake up now."

As if something shocked her, her eyes flew open and she sat up so quickly, Ichigo barely dodged her head. Her breathing was ragged and she kept shaking her head, tears falling from her tired eyes. Seeing her in this state hurt Ichigo so badly, he could feel a very sharp pain in his heart.

_And this has been happening the entire time I've been ignoring her. Damnit, I'm such an idiot. Instead of staying by her and protecting her, I pretended she didn't exist and hurt her just as badly._

His eyes showed remorse for her. Every emotion but pity shone in his eyes as he kept his gaze on the healer in front of him.

"Breathe... Orihime. I'm right here."

Hearing his voice, she looked up from her blanket to see Ichigo staring at her, a small smile on his face. His eyes shone with worry for her and it only hurt her more.

With new tears falling, she cried. "I-I-Ichigo!~"

Throwing herself onto him, her arms wrapped around his neck, she held on as tightly as possible. Sensing her urgency for comfort, he wrapped his arms around her back as tight as she had clung to him. He continued to whisper nothing in her ear, letting her cry into his shirt. Letting her know he was here for her. Whatever she had a nightmare about, it involved him. However, he didn't care that she was practically soaking his shirt with her tears. He didn't notice how good she felt in his arms.

What he cared about the most, was making sure she would stop shedding tears. Especially for him.

.

.

.

A few hours went by, and she had finally fallen asleep. He didn't mind that she was curled up around him, her face in his shoulders. He noticed her breathing had slowed to a nice and steady pace. Which made him feel content.

He looked out her window, noting the sun was starting to rise. Only one thought was on his mind as he closed his eyes.

They were definitely going to be sleeping in.


	6. Sunday Morning

Holy crow. This will be the 4th story I've updated today! I'm on a roll! It's also because I want to get some of these stories finished! Plus I get new ideas. And I start college next week, which means I won't be updating as much. (Since all I'll be doing is working and school). Plus my sister is watching bleach so it's inspiring me XD.

I hope you enjoy this C:

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><p>The sun was shining brightly as the two orange haired teens slept. Ichigo had his arms wrapped around Orihime, keeping her as physically close as possible. Smiles were on their faces. The light of the sun hadn't bothered them. Nor did it wake them up.<p>

They had continued to sleep peacefully, even when the sun was covered by clouds.

.

.

.

_Rukia had noticed Orihime's reiatsu flucuate every now and then. Not only had this been going on for some time, it had worried her greatly. The night she saw Orihime having her nightmare, she snuck out of the house._

_Ichigo had a habit of waking up in the middle of the night, perhaps due to his own nightmares. She wasn't sure if they were similar to Orihime's, but if there was one thing that worried Rukia,_

_It was Ichigo would always say her name._

_She had felt guilty. Ever since she came back from the Soul Society, Ichigo had gone back to ignoring his friends and doing his duties. She hated that he had done that, so she would always check up on them. _

_They had seemed fine. After the war, they went back to normal. Tatsuki, Keigo and Mizurio had found out their secret. But they had seemed okay with knowing everything. They were more happy now that they weren't kept in the dark anymore. _

_What worried Rukia a lot was when Tatsuki had come up to her and asked her if Ichigo could watch over her. So it was that night Rukia had snuck out to see her._

_Her eyes widen when she heard the screams coming from her apartment. Using shunpo, she got into Orihime's room through the window and began to shake her awake. _

_"Inoue! Inoue! Wake up Inoue!" Rukia yelled as her voice sounded frantic._

_She jumped up with wide eyes. Catching her breath, she held a hand to her chest, trying to gather her sanity. Looking up, her eyes watered as she cried. "R-R-Rukia~"_

_._

_._

_._

_"I see. So you've been having nightmares since you came back."_

_Nodding in sadness, her eyes glistened with unshed tears. Not wanting to seem weak in front of Rukia, she held them in. _

_"Inoue... Why didn't you tell anyone? Tell me ? Tell..."_

_"Ichigo? He doesn't even talk to me anymore. It's like I mean nothing to him. He hasn't said a word to me since we got back. I feel like I'm not important to him. Like I'm just a burden."_

_Grabbing her face, Rukia held it close to hers. "Orihime! Listen to me! Ichigo doesn't hate you! I know it seems like it. But he's an idiot. He's gotten so tied up in being a shinigami again that he's ignored everyone! But that doesn't mean he doesn't care about you! And I know the nightmares have to do with him. I'm sure they've gotten worse because of him not talking to you, but you have nothing to be scared of. I promise you. He will come back. He promised to protect you. and if you know him just as well as I do, then you'll know in your heart that he'll come back. Just wait patiently for him to come to his senses. He'll realize how much of an idiot he's been. And when he does, he'll be the one begging for forgiveness."_

_With wide eyes, she smiled before hugging Rukia._

_"Thank you... Rukia."_

_._

_._

_._

When Orihime had finally woken up, the first thing she saw was orange hair. Trying to clear her vision, her eyes widened when she saw Ichigo's eyes already open, staring at her with gentle eyes.

A small smile graced his lips. "Good morning... Orihime."

Her face turned deep red at his smile and she hid her face in his shirt. Chuckling, he couldn't help but laugh at her cute expression.

"Mou.. Don't laugh Ichigo... It's not funny." She pouted.

Her face had only made him burst into laughter as she hit his chest with her fists. Lightly grabbing them, he held them to his lips as he kissed them tenderly, causing her heart to flutter.

"You're so beautiful."

Her face was redder than red by this point and she wondered if she was dreaming. His eyes were a light brown and they shone with adoration and...

**Love**.

Not knowing what to say, she kept her gaze down, not wanting him to see just how red her face was. At that point, her stomach had decided to speak for her, as it grumbled very loudly.

A chuckle escaped his lips as he got out of bed, already dressed. Turning to look at her, he smiled.

"Wanna go out for lunch?"


	7. The Last Day

So this is the last chapter. I'll probably be writing an epilogue for this story for what happens at school the next day. But this is the very last one! I just want to thank everyone for the reviews, favs and follows for this story.

At first when I wrote this story, I wasn't sure many people would like it. But once I got those reviews for the first chapter, I realized that this story could have lots of potential. So I tried my very best to make it come out. I'll probably be updating Hollow Aid and Contagious as well. (Hollow Aid only has one more chapter… I'm saddened by that :/) And I'm not sure about Contagious.

Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter C;

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><p>It was the last day. Orihime blanched at the thought. It was their last day of being together, just relaxing and actually being normal. Ever since her powers awakened, she didn't feel like a normal kid. With her ability to defy divine law, she was practically a god. Or that's what Aizen told her anyway.<p>

And yet, she didn't use her powers in that way.

She only used them for the good of others, for protecting, healing and defending. Tsubaki always got mad at her because she hardly used him. But she just never had the will to fight.

She's a **healer**, not a fighter.

Surely, Tsubaki realized this but it only added to his anger. He felt so useless. He wanted to help the other fairies protect their master. But he wasn't like them. He didn't have the ability to heal or the ability to defend.

His ability was to attack and destroy.

He hated feeling so weak, so powerless. He was the exact image of Orihime, only well; he actually fights constantly with her. He hates how his master is so cheery all the time. Don't misunderstand him, he likes seeing her smile, but he hates when she talks about being weak in such a happy matter. When he knows that she's really breaking on the inside. She had gone to the Soul Society to train with Rukia so she wouldn't be weak. However, it turns out; it didn't do much at all.

And then she got herself sick from being depressed! This made him even more mad and frustrated.

Why couldn't his master ever be serious? Why wouldn't she use him in battle more often?

It was then that Tsubaki realized;

It was because she didn't need to fight.

.

.

.

Ichigo sensed something was wrong with Orihime. Usually she's talking and waving her arms in the air all excitedly. But today, she wouldn't even look at him.

_What is because of what I said this morning?_

A frown surfaced on his face as he pondered these thoughts. He wasn't lying. Orihime had looked so beautiful this morning, hell, she looked more beautiful every day. Yes, he probably shouldn't have said anything because he wasn't really aware of her feelings. But he felt he had to take that chance.

Not just for **his** sake, but for **hers** as well.

She deserved to be happy, and for some reason, a strange feeling crept into his gut, making him almost unable to breathe. Just the thought of her going through all the pain alone, it only ate away at him more. After everything they'd been through, they both deserved to be happy. And he wanted to be with her.

_Does she want to be with me?_

Shaking his head, he noticed her hand was balled into a fist. His eyes shifted to her face only to see her biting her lip, her eyebrows furrowed into a look of frustration. His attention kept going back to her hand as it clenched and then relaxed a few seconds later.

Lightly laughing, he reached out and grabbed her hand in his, wrapping his fingers between her own. His laughter continued when her expression changed to one of shock and embarrassment, her face turning a light red as she couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of holding his hand.

.

.

.

It had only taken them a few minutes to reach their destination. Although Orihime was getting better, Ichigo didn't want to risk the chance of her getting sick again. Tatsuki would definitely kick his ass because he was supposed to be taking care of her, not helping her get even more sick. Shaking his head of all bad thoughts, he couldn't help but smile. His eyes were a light brown and had actually reached his smile.

For the first time in ages, he had felt genuinely happy. He wondered if Orihime was the reason as to why he felt this way. Realizing his feelings for her, he couldn't help but be nervous at the same time.

Yes, she had shown signs of liking him the same way, but he still couldn't help but have doubts in her actions. He wouldn't blame her for not liking him back. After all, he did treat her like shit these past few months. He knew just a weekend wouldn't make up for that, and he knew that he wanted to be more than friends with her. But, he also knew he'd be putting her in danger all over again. He wanted to protect her, not get her caught up in the drama that was his life. But he also knew one thing;

He didn't have a right to cut her from his life.

He'd be an idiot to do such a thing. Yes, he did protect her and put her in danger countless times. But it was her smile and her voice that brought him to victory. She was there after every fight, ready to heal all his pain and injuries. Her eyes were always filled with worry, but they would vanish into a beaming smile that would make butterflies dance in his stomach. Her reiatsu was always so warm, so gentle. For days, he had wondered where it had gone, not even realizing that he was subconsciously seeking her out when he'd get into fights.

And that was just it. He didn't want her to feel that he was only using her for her healing, or only using her emotions to make himself feel good. Ichigo may be an idiot, but he never took advantage of another person's emotions. He wasn't like Aizen, who only used people until he got what he wanted and then killed him with his bare hands.

When he found out from Rukia that she felt like a burden, it made him so upset and angry. Not at her of course, but at himself for making her feel that way. He was such an idiot to make her believe that she wasn't useful to anyone. He couldn't believe that Kisuke had suggested keeping her out of the war, though it didn't matter for she was taken regardless. It didn't matter what they tried to do, they couldn't protect her because they weren't aware of Aizen's plan; his sick, twisted game.

Before he could delve into his evil thoughts, he looked at Orihime to see her staring at him, a worried look on her face.

He blinked. "What's wrong Orihime?"

"I was just going to ask you that! You seemed so upset all of a sudden…"

He chuckled. "I was just thinkin'. " Her face sported a frown. "It's nothing to worry about, okay Orihime?"

Letting go of his hand, she turned away from him, her frown still on her face, crossing her arms on her chest. "I'm Ichigo-kun. I'm a boy who's too scared to tell a girl what I'm thinking." She mimicked him and he frowned before knocking her into the grass, a squeal came from her lips.

"Tch. You don't have a right to mock me, little miss. This is coming from the person who was thinking and deep in her thoughts not too long ago." Her eyes widened. "Don't think I didn't notice. You were biting your lip and your eyebrows were creased. You have no right to judge me when you were lost in your own thoughts as well."

Her blush increased as she realized she'd been caught right handed. Sensing how uncomfortable she was getting, he let it slide, standing up and helping her get on her own two feet. He dusted her off, not wanting anyone to think they had done something indecent.

Turning away, he began to walk to the restaurant that he had made reservations for. She gasped when she realized where he was taking her. Hearing her gasp, he turned to look at her, his eyebrow raised.

"Something wrong?"

Shaking her head, she replied quickly. "N-No! I just didn't realize we were coming here.."

His eyebrow was still raised, questioning what exactly she meant by that. A small smile graced her lips. "I've always wanted to come here with Tatsuki. But so much has happened and we never got a chance to go. I thought I wouldn't be able to come here."

A smile graced his lips as he understood what she meant. It wasn't a very fancy place, but a lot of people came to this restaurant in the summer time. It was under renovations for quite some time and it had just finally reopened today. He was lucky enough to make the reservations months in advance. He wanted to take her here on their first date. But he wasn't sure if she wanted to go with him, so he never asked.

Seeing how happy she was made him realize it was a good idea he did what he did.

"Well, come on, Orihime! They're not going to keep the reservations forever!"

She gasped as she ran to him, a bit razzled. "H-Hai!"

.

.

.

When they had got there, they had already ordered what they wanted. Orihime didn't want Ichigo spending too much money, so she only ordered a plate of spaghetti and an iced tea. Ichigo ordered the same thing, not wanting Orihime to feel she wasn't ordering enough.

It was so peaceful. They had requested to sit outside on the patio as it was a very nice day out and he didn't want to waste it being inside. The waiter had understood and led them to a nice table that was empty. He was glad that most people were at the park or out doing errands. It was their last day together and he didn't want to be in a crowded place.

He only wanted to be the two of them today.

Just Ichigo and Orihime; on a normal date.

He was awestruck at how gorgeous she looked, her eyes roaming around the area while she ate. He was surprised she wasn't shoving it down her throat. But then again, they were out in public and surely she wouldn't want to embarrass herself or him.

Not that he cared.

"I guess you missed being here…"

Looking at him with a confused expression, he elaborated. "I mean, Hueco Mundo wasn't as pretty as here was it? I was focused on saving you so I didn't really take the time to view the place. But it looked so barren. It must be nice for you to actually be eating normal food and breathing fresh air."

She smiled. "Un! It feels really nice. The wind here is much kinder… Much calmer than in Hueco Mundo. I don't feel like I'm suffocating here. It just feels nice to see the sun again. I love the moon too, but I missed the sun, the warmth I'm used to. Perhaps I would've liked Hueco Mundo more if there was warmth and more to do. But I was always kept in my room. I didn't really talk to anyone. I just stayed in my room, obeying what they told me. I felt so cornered, not being able to see outside or even going for walks. So yes, it feels really nice being back home. You know it never rained over there. It just stayed the same; which is kind of boring and dull to me. I'm just glad I'm with you… Ichigo-kun. Arigato."

And with that, she gave him the biggest smile he's ever seen her give; and it was directed at him. Looking away to hide the blush, he mumbled before stuffing his face.

"You're welcome…. Orihime."

.

.

.

After they had their lunch, they had headed home. They would've stayed out longer but apparently, it had decided to rain once again, out of nowhere. While it had put Ichigo in a foul mood, Orihime was laughing happily and dancing. He practically had to run just to keep up, not trusting anyone on the street.

He had ushered into her apartment, where she ran to her window and watched the rain fall down, her eyes lit up in excitement. Taking off his shoes, he braced himself against the wall, not wanting to lose balance, he couldn't help but smile. Her child-like innocence was back, she was back to normal. And he was really happy knowing he was able to patch things up with her.

However, he wanted to talk to her.

He knew there was something else between them. But he wanted to be on the same page as her. Surely everyone would notice the drastic change in her personality. He just wanted everything to be sorted out. He wanted to know how she felt, what was on her mind, everything there was to know about her.

He wanted to be with her.

"Orihime…."

Said girl turned to look at him, her eyes showing curiosity as well as something else he couldn't identify.

"Are you leaving now?"

Something in the way she said that made his heart ache. Her gaze had turned to the window; sadness now enveloped her being as she realized he was going to be gone. Back to being her friend, and only her friend.

"Hime… Why would you think that?"

Not trusting herself, she kept her gaze out the window. She didn't want him to see her crying again; not after what happened this weekend.

"Today's Sunday. Tomorrow, we have school. This means I won't be seeing you as often. You'll be going back to hollow duties and I'll be catching up in school. Even if we're closer now, we still won't have time for each other."

Something in him snapped. Without thinking, he walked up to her, taking long strides, turning her around with such force it knocked the breath out of her, and crushed his lips to her with such force she almost fainted. He kissed her with so much passion, she couldn't breathe. So she did the next best thing.

She clung to him.

Trying to match his speed, she returned it, with as much passion as he gave. His hand grabbed the back of her head keeping their mouths together. Drinking her in, her scent, her taste, everything. He wanted to be bathed in her, and her to be bathed in him. He wanted everyone to know that she was his, and that he was hers, and if anyone tried to tear them apart, he would break their bones.

He had never felt so much passion for any other person. Only her.

Realizing they both couldn't breathe, he pulled away, only slightly, to let them catch their breaths. Their eyes fluttered open, love shining in both their eyes.

"I love you. And if you want me to stay, then just say so. I won't leave you again."

Not trusting her voice, she only nodded before he kissed her again.

Both of them knowing that tomorrow was going to be a new day.

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><p>AN: I edited this chapter after seeing the horrible errors in the story. D: I was tired when I wrote this. Gomen.

The epilogue will be coming soon. I'll explain a lot more. Perhaps, I'll include a flashback of their conversation that apparently didn't want to happen in this chapter. I really hope you enjoyed it nonetheless C:


	8. EPILOGUE: Three Weeks Later

I've been kinda procrastinating on finishing this story because… well… I don't want it to end :(. Sadly, all good stories must come to their end. :/ I hate having to end stories. That's why I like drabbles. You can make as many as you want and there's no real end to it. xD

But enough of my rambling! Let's get to the chapter C:

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><p>It had been a few weeks since Orihime's sickness. She had gotten better, and the weekend Ichigo stayed with her, helped a lot. Not only did they both start dating on the Sunday night, but they had sorted out all their insecurities; which resulted in them staying up for hours.<p>

Both of them knew though, that they had to express how they felt; for it wouldn't seem right if they started their relationship with secrets. So they had openly admitted everything they felt to the other; resulting in mixed reactions from each other.

.

.

.

"_You know, Ichigo-kun, I've always thought you loved Kuchiki-san."_

_Ichigo blanched. "What makes you think that? Ugh! I can't even stand her! You honestly think we'd be good together? Hell, we'd probably kill each other if we ever got into a relationship."_

_She giggled, "Well, every time you were down, she was there to help cheer you up. I remember when Yammi had hurt me; you went into a depression about it. But then she appeared and the next day you were coming up to me and vowing to protect me. Then there was the time when Grimmjow first appeared and she was severely hurt. The look in your eyes was so…. Anyway, you always seemed to show more emotion towards her than you ever did to me. You guys had a much stronger bond than I ever could have had with you. It made me sad and jealous. It looked as though I was only depending on you, while Kuchiki-san was able to stand by your side with confidence and elegance. I always thought I could never compete with her."_

_Ichigo was processing every word Orihime just said. She did have good points, and he couldn't blame her for thinking those thoughts when he never showed romantic interest in her. Then again, he didn't really show interest in Rukia either. He was too oblivious for his own good. This made him feel even guiltier because she had been feeling this way for so long._

"_Hime… Trust me when I say that I only have feelings for you. I know I didn't really show interest in you at the time. But I definitely didn't show that kind of interest towards her either. I was pretty oblivious to your feelings, and it was wrong of me to do so. Yes, I was worried for her safety. And I blamed myself because I was with her and I didn't protect her. But I feel even more regret when I can't protect __**you.**__ You're the one I love, and it kills me to see you in any sort of danger. Even if you fell down the stairs and hurt yourself, I would feel guilty because I'd never want you hurt. And yes, at the time Rukia had shown me that pitying myself for your injuries wasn't the right thing to do. I was there, but I was also dealing with my hollow at the time. I wasn't able to focus properly on the fight. That was my grave mistake. And it had resulted in you being injured as well. If Kisuke and Yoruichi hadn't shown up… My point is, I blamed myself because you almost died and I couldn't protect you with my powers. What good are they if I can't protect the ones I love?"_

_Cupping her face in his hands, he whispered, "If I had to choose between you or myself dying, I'd choose myself; because I love you too much to have you ripped away from me."_

_She smiled, "If that's the case, I'd do the same. My love for you spans over five lifetimes. And in each one, I'd fall in love with you. I'm not sure if they'd be the same way as this one, or maybe in a much different way, but I know for sure I'd fall in love with you and only you."_

_He couldn't help himself; he kissed her again. Hearing just how much she loved him made his heart swell up so big it hurt to even breathe. But she would be his air, the breath of fresh air he's been craving._

"_Well, since we're opening up and getting rid of the ugly feelings we have, I suppose I should do the same. Hime, I was scared that you were going to reject me."_

_She blinked. "Why would I ever-"_

"_Because I'm a monster." She sat there, quietly her eyes never leaving his, trying to some sort of understanding from his statement. Knowing she wouldn't be able to get it right away, he explained. "I turned into the ugliest creature that no one should ever see. I stabbed Ishida when he was only trying to save me. I made you cry when I was fighting Grimmjow with the mask on. I showed you the worst side of me that no should have to witness. I hurt you, for not talking with you after I brought you back. I got so caught up in everything else that I completely ignored you and everyone else. It seems they forgave me, though they never said it out loud, but I know Tatsuki wouldn't ask me to take care of you if she was mad. And I just… I'm constantly getting into fights, I scowl so much that it scares little kids, my attitude sucks, I'm always seeming angry at the world when in reality, I'm just unable to express my real feelings. I gave you nightmares because I wasn't able to protect you from being taken away. You've endured so much grief in the past year that I felt you shouldn't have. So I distanced myself from you because I didn't want you to be in danger anymore…"_

_Silence reigned over the two teens. One was in shock, while the other one was trying to catch their breath; Ichigo wasn't used to spouting off his feelings to anyone. And it made him more tired than usual. But there was still something he had to say._

_"However, Hime, I realized that distancing myself away from you was one of the dumbest things I've ever done. It's your choice if you want to stay by my side, and it's not my right to just cut you out of my life over something like this. I was using it as an excuse to run from my feelings; I never felt this way with anyone else. It's all new to me, so I freaked out and ran away, like a child. But, when Tatsuki asked me to watch over you; I was relieved. Not because you were sick, but rather, I was able to make it up to you. I was able to be with you and not have to worry about hollows or the soul society. I could finally be normal again; and figure out my true feelings. And now that I have, I just want to say this,"_

_He pulled her into his lap, tilting her head so she was staring up at him, unshed tears made her eyes sparkle even more brightly than normal._

_"Orihime Inoue, will you be my girlfriend?"_

_The tears of happiness streamed down her face as kissed him over and over, her arms tightening against his body in a strong bear hug. "YES! Oh, Ichigo-kun, Yes!"_

_._

_._

_._

They had only broken the news to everyone last week. They wanted to be a secret for a little bit, just wanting them to be alone and not being nagged by anyone else. Orihime loves her friends, but she just wanted to be selfish for a bit longer and keep Ichigo to herself. Ichigo didn't have a problem with that, for he suggested prolonging telling everyone. But of course Orihime just laughed and told him that we need to go back to normal and that included being part of the group again.

Chizuru was furious and bawling her eyes out when she found out Ichigo had become Orihime's boyfriend. Her cries were quickly silenced by Tatsuki, who had kicked her face before putting her head in an arm-lock.

Keigo had a similar reaction, though his wasn't as dramatic. Which shocked everyone. They were used to him freaking out over everything and making everything seem like a big deal, but he just shook his head and smiled.

"Both Orihime-chan and Ichigo deserve to be happy. And I feel they'll be much happier with each other."

Everyone didn't know that Keigo had matured so much after the winter war. But they figured it was because he wasn't kept in the dark anymore, and he was finally part of the group again, that he stopped being the way he was.

Everyone else was happy for the two. Especially Rukia, who already knew from the start that they would end up together. She did hear the rumours about her and Ichigo but she always laughed at how ridiculous they were. Besides, she already had another guy who was interested in her, and she felt the same as him.

Tatsuki had done her usual threats and rants that Ichigo was used to, though he knew it was only because she actually cared. It felt nice that everyone was very supportive of their relationship. It felt like they were one big family again, and for some reason, a warm feeling spread through Ichigo's chest at the thought.

.

.

.

During the few weeks that had passed, Orihime had finished all the tests and assignments she had missed due to being sick. She, like the smart person she is, aced every single one, including the one that everyone almost failed.

She was really happy to be back into her old routine. Only this time, when she was walking home with Tatsuki, Ichigo, Rukia and Renji, she was holding Ichigo's hand. Tatsuki had been on his left, Rukia was on the right of her and Renji was beside Rukia. It felt like nothing could tear them apart.

As long as she had Ichigo that is.

"Oi, Ichigo. When are you going to tell your family about Orihime?"

Ichigo froze. Shit. He completely forgot about them! Using his free hand, he facepalmed as he silently agonized over the thought of telling them.

"Tch. The idiot forgot." Turning to Orihime, Rukia smiled. "It's okay Hime! He didn't forget about you. You see, his dad is very hyper and well.. he's pretty eccentric. Ichigo's just worried how he's going to tell him without him being so dramatic. He's as bad as Keigo!"

"I think you should tell him tonight. If you put it off any longer, he's going to be even more dramatic. If you think he'll scare her away, then don't bother waiting. Just tell him when you walk in the door. In fact, bring Orihime with you!" Tatsuki suggested.

He sighed. It looked like he didn't have any other choice. Tatsuki did have a point. There was no point in waiting it out much longer. And as much as he dreaded it, he knew it was going to happen eventually.

"Alright then. Orihime, prepare yourself. My old man is pretty… Crazy. Just don't let him scare you off."

"Hai!" she replied with a smile.

.

.

.

When Ichigo, Orihime and Rukia got to the Clinic, they found it pretty weird how Isshin didn't come from out of nowhere and assaulted Ichigo. Turning around the corner, they realized why.

Isshin and Karin had been watching T.V. while Yuzu prepared dinner. She was the first one to realize her brother was home.

"Welcome home onii-chan, Rukia-neesan!" Her eyes went wide when she noticed Orihime holding Ichigo's hand.

"Orihime-chan?! Are you my new sister?"

This got Isshin and Karin's attention. Turning around, they noticed Ichigo's hand entangled with Orihime's. Both teens were blushing before Orihime stuttered.

"U-U-mmm I guess so? Me and Ichigo-kun are dating."

Right when she said that, Isshin jumped off the couch, tears falling down his face as he cried to the poster of Masaki.

"DID YOU HEAR THAT MASAKI?! OUR HOT HEADED SON IS DATING THE WONDERFUL AND SWEET ORIHIME-CHAN! THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE BEAUTIFUL BABIES AND I'LL HAVE GRANDKIDS!"

Both of them blushed more though Ichigo just got pissed off and started hitting Isshin. "SHUT UP OLD MAN! WE JUST STARTED DATING A COUPLE WEEKS AGO! WE'RE NOT DOING ANY OF THAT YET!"

Orihime just remained at the door, speechless, as she watched her boyfriend fighting rather violently with his father. Karin walked up to her, a smile on her face.

"They're like this all the time. Anyway, I'm just finally glad Ichigo chose someone we all like."

She looked at Karin before Yuzu giggled and ran to the kitchen. Rukia smiled at Orihime.

"Welcome to the Kurosaki family, Orihime."

* * *

><p>AN: That's where I'll end it. Thanks so much to everyone who has loved this story! I'm really sad that it's finished. Though it means I won't disappoint people with long updates. Either way, I really like writing this story. I'm glad lots of people liked it too.

Keep an eye out for other stories I have/will be making. I love you all!

~Tia-chan


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